Gold's Assassins

[ 4 ]

"Attention, persons aboard the freighter Seventh Sister. Please halt your ship and prepare to be boarded," the loudspeaker blared.

"Azalea Verano, what the hell was that?" Acheron's voice yelled over the intercom.

"Just a friendly transmission from our local G.S. men. Care to come up on the bridge and invite them for tea?" Isaias replied into the microphone.

"Stars, Jackson, are they arresting us?"

"Probably."

I rolled my eyes and jammed my finger into the call button. "Jackson, get off the star-cursed intercom," I said. "Would the rest of you come on up to the bridge? We've got some G.S. guys to greet."

The intercom light clicked off, but not before I heard the start of a pretty creative curse coming from Acheron.

The door pneumatics hissed. I swiveled to see Xander walking in, his mouth full of microwave spaghetti. He was eating it out of the can with a plastic spoon. I never had understood that boy's eating habits.

Rad entered and took her station, looking like she'd just come from a nap. Acheron came in without speaking, his face red and hands clenched. He really hated dealing with the G.S.

"Here we go, guys. Opening bay doors," I said. "Rad?"

Rad quickly began tapping keys and pushing buttons. "Here they come. Docking clamps engaged. Docking."

There was silence on the bridge. The only sound was the whirring of the magnetic clamps attaching us to the Galactic Sentinel rover ship.

"Attention, persons aboard the Seventh Sister. We are going to board your ship. Please turn ship power off and put all weapons of any kind down. Any kind of resistance will result in your immediate arrest," said the intercom.

There was the sound of boots clomping in the hallway. A man's voice from outside the door called to us. "Crew of Azalea Verano, please come out one at a time with your hands up. You are all under arrest for destruction of property."

We looked at each other. Acheron cursed again.